Radha Theke Poschimbongo: A journey Through Four Millenium

Summary

History of Bengali speaking area over the period from epic ages to twentieth century A.D.with reference to the old names of the area and their modern geographical locations. Certain myths have been clarified , and some are trashed. Contains informations about the prehistoric references of settlements and origin of Bengali race and language.

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Radha Theke Poschimbongo - Dilip Kr. Bandyopadhyay

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Introduction

Person reading the epics of Mahabharata or Ramayana gets sometimes confused with the areas described in those epics. It becomes difficult to correlate them with the modern day’s geographical features. When I speak the case of Anga, Banga and Kalinga, often mentioned together, I refer to some area in the eastern India, specifically in Present say Bengal. But where were those states? Let us see them.

Bengal is a fertile delta area of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River near their confluence before emptying their water in the Bay of Bengal. For thousands of years these rivers brought tons of silts to make the land fertile and fit for human living. These three states are triad of states situated in this area. Actually there were five of them .Anga, Banga, Kalinga, Pundra and Suhma.

It must be kept in mind that when I say about Bengal I refer to the area where Bengali as a language is spoken by the majority of the person irrespective of the state or country. Bengali is the sixth most spoken language in world and is the national language of one country Bangladesh. It is one of the national languages of India. It is spoken in Bangladesh and in the states of West Bengal and Tripura in India. Also it is spoken in the adjoining Goalpara, Dhubri and Kachar district of Assam, Purnea district of Bihar, Santhal Pargana, Manbhum.and Dhanbad of Jharkhand and Cuttak and Balasore District of Orissa.

Regarding the origin of the Bengali language, it originated from proto-Munda language. During the epic period this was called the language of Nishads. We get traces of it in the present Munda, Kol, Santhal languages. Later it was also influenced by the Dravidian and Burmese-Tibetan languages. This Sino Tibetan language was prevalent in the areas of North Bengal and Tripura and was known as the language of the Kirats. Still now we get a few of Dravidian words in our Bengali language. As per Dr, Suniti Chatterjee it is evolved from the Ardha Magahi language (derived from Magadhi) in the tenth century C.E. However Dr Salimulla opines that it is derived from Gouriya language in the sixth century C.E. As per Encyclopedia Britannica the ancient form of Bengali or proto Bengali was the language used in Orissa and also in Assam. However at a later date first Oriya and then Assamese language separated out from this language. ‘Charyapad’, the original poetry written in this language is the predecessor of our present Bengali. Grammatically Bengali is considered as an Indo-European language, influenced with inputs from Burmese, Tibetan and Dravidian language.

Anthropologically the Bengalis are from the Austric group of people who lived in this delta area since long (2500-100 B.C.E.) before the Aryans come in India. Gradually the Dravidians and the Tibeto-Burman came and the races got mixed. The last input was from the Aryans. As in the present day, feature of average Bengali is similar to that found in the Dravidians .Average Bengali do have their round shaped skull with flat nose rather than the elongated skull and the sharp nose found with the Aryans. This also makes us to believe that the Bengali race existed well before the Aryan invasion.

Excavations made in Bankura district gave us proof of habitat by Austro-Asiatic, Proto Dravidian and Proto Indo-European races.

The excavation made at Tarafeni area of Midnapur district of West Bengal indicates the habitat of Copper Age people. In addition, the excavations made at Wari-Bateswar (Narsingdi area of Bangladesh, copper age), Mangalkot (Burdwan district, 1st millennium B.C.E.). Chandraketugarh (North 24 Pargana district, ninth century B.C.E.), Pandu rajar dhibi (Birbhum district, eighth century B.C.E. or before), Mahasthangarh (Bogura district, third century B.C.E.), Paharpur (Rajshahi-Bogura area, fourth century C.E..), Mainamati (Comilla district, eighth century C.E.), indicate the habitat of early age people

Remnants of Copper Age settlements in the Bengal region date back 4,000 years when the region was settled by Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman and Austro-Asiatic peoples. After the arrival of Indo-Aryans, the kingdoms of Anga, Vanga (Banga) and Magadha were formed by the 10th century B.C.E., which were located in and around the Bengal region. The Anga, Vanga or Banga and Magadha kingdoms are first described in the Atharva Veda dating around 1000 B.C.E.

From a plaque of third century B.C.E.it was found that a non-Aryan. Tribe is living in the areas of present northern Bangladesh. Another scripture of Jain religion from this third century B.C.E. indicates that a tribe resides at the area presently marked as Birbhum and Midnapur districts knew about cultivation of paddy. They also cultivated other cereal like barley along with some legumes

During the second millennium B.C.E. we find the proof of cultivation of paddy in the present Burdwan district. Somewhere in the 11th century B.C.E, use of iron tools for cultivation were found here, along with the use of copper tools. They used to cultivate in roving manner on different fields. By the sixth century B.C.E. they started cultivation in the low lying fields by constructing dykes to retain water.

Bengal history in the period before the Gupta rule (the next great empire after Mauryan Empire) is not known clearly. They probably retained independence through the Mauryan Empire. This is also the period when Bengal became Buddhist. By the time the Guptas entered Bengal, it is predominantly a Buddhist nation. Before the Guptas, Bengal history probably became more connected with Eastern Asia through sea trade than India (except probably Kalinga). During this period it appears that the Bangalees spilled into Burma, Thailand and all the way to Vietnam. The Monks of Thailand and Burma were dominated by Bengal, and Kalinga. Their history also was probably more connected to Indonesia whose ancient script is very similar to Proto-Bangla.or Proto-Munda. And maybe they kept connection also with Sri Lanka.

Aryans entered in the Indian continent from the north east and gradually moved eastward. As they pushed forward they found that the local inhabitants are different from them both in language, culture, and habits. The local inhabitants were considered impure and wild. Their scriptures directed them to avoid coming to this area.

As the Aryans were proficient in use of improved tools and methods of cultivations, those who came to